Celeriac is the bulby root of the wild celery plant. Eaten raw it is similar to jicama, cooked it’s closer to a turnip. It has a very smooth texture and a light, fresh taste of celery stalk. Trim and peel this root vegetable by first chopping off the stringy bit with the roots. Then slice off the rest of the skin carefully. From there you can cube celeriac like a large potato. You can find it at pretty much any major super market, just look near the beets and brussels sprouts.
Celery root is delicious when simmered and then puréed. The apple and white wine bring out the sweetness in the vegetable, the potato the weight. This recipe has no added fat, but you’d never know from how creamy it is. Top with some croutons or a drizzle of olive or truffle oil.
Ingredients
1 small onion, diced
1 large celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium tart apple, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 cups soymilk or other plain nondairy milk
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Heat onion in a medium stockpot over medium heat with a few tbsp of water. Add garlic and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add celery root, potatoes, and wine. Stir to coat vegetables and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables until starting to become tender, 10-15 minutes.
Add the apple and bouillon. Cook until completely soft. Remove from heat and spoon into a blender. Add the soymilk and purée the soup until smooth. Keep blending for a few minutes extra. Transfer the soup back to the pot over low heat. If the soup is too thick, add a little more soymilk until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Add the salt and pepper as needed.
